Eckhart TolleNYT Bestselling author of the Power of Now

What Actually Happens When You Awaken

28 May 2026 · 1 min

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In this excerpt from Eckhart Tolle’s video “What Actually Happens When You Awaken,” Tolle explains that the term “awake” or “awakening” is a spiritual concept common across traditions. He describes awakening as a fundamental shift away from being fully identified with the continuous stream of conditioned, unconscious thinking. When a person is identified with this mental narrative, they derive their sense of self and identity from the stories that flow through the mind. Awakening, therefore, involves recognizing that the self is not the mind’s narrative but a deeper presence beyond thought.

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The term awake, to awaken, is a spiritual term used in many traditions, and it points to this transition from the state of being completely identified with the stream of conditioned thinking, so identified that you derive your sense of self your identity from the continuing narratives that flow through your mind, that tell you who you are. Your sense of self is derived from that stream of unconscious conditioned thinking.